23. Durbar Squares and Palace Architecture

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Learn about the three Durbar Squares
• Understand palace architecture
• Know about historical kingdoms
• Appreciate cultural heritage

60 minutes

• Paper
• Colored pencils
• Regular pencils
• Notebooks

1. Review (5 minutes)

• Quick recap of temples
• Connect temples to palace squares
• Discuss what students know about palaces

2. The Three Durbar Squares (15 minutes)

Discuss and draw:

• Kathmandu Durbar Square
• Hanuman Dhoka Palace
• Kumari House
• Temples
• Open squares
• Patan Durbar Square
• Golden Temple
• Krishna Temple
• Palace Museum
• Stone carvings
• Bhaktapur Durbar Square
• 55-Window Palace
• Golden Gate
• Lion's Gate
• Royal court

3. Palace Features (15 minutes)

Discuss and illustrate:

• Architecture Elements
• Multiple courtyards
• Wood carvings
• Stone sculptures
• Pagoda roofs
• Royal rooms
• Special Features
• Windows styles
• Door designs
• Royal symbols
• Decorative elements

4. Drawing Activity (15 minutes)

Students draw:

• Palace buildings
• Courtyard scenes
• Decorative windows
• Square layouts

5. Closing Activity (10 minutes)

• Students write about durbar squares
• Share what amazed them most
• Compare with castles they know
• Preview of next week's topic

• Palace (दरबार - Darbar)
• Square (चोक - Chowk)
• King (राजा - Raja)
• Courtyard (आँगन - Aangan)
• Heritage (सम्पदा - Sampada)

1. Draw their favorite durbar square

2. Write about palace features

3. Draw decorative windows

Check students':

• Understanding of durbar squares
• Knowledge of architecture
• Drawing skills
• Class participation

• Keep historical facts simple
• Use clear examples
• Explain cultural importance
• Make connections to local history
• Focus on visual elements
• Discuss preservation

• Each square is unique
• All are UNESCO sites
• Centuries of history
• Still used today
• Living museums

• Draw simple palace layouts
• Show architectural details
• Connect to familiar buildings
• Discuss preservation
• Keep terms simple
• Emphasize cultural value